unbound
by HobbitofRavenclaw
Summary: Ambrose tells the queen his devistaing secret. Life in the O.Z. is about to change drastically


Hobbits Notes: special thanks to Glitch and Simba for previewing this one. Extra special thanks to glitch for lending me his O/C (Even though I didn't ask first)

I paced back and forth in front of the double doors to the royal sitting room and smoothed down my jacket for the seventh time. Needless to say, I was nervous. I reminded myself yet again that the king and queen had been my friends for most of their lives. And a good part of mine. I knew that as humans time was more precious to them. And friendships like ours were rare among humans.

Still, knowing the world is about crash down around you does make one pause. I took a breath and finally mustered up enough courage to knock.

"Come in." The soft musical voice of the queen called.

Ah.

Problem...

Knocking was one thing, but now I was expected to walk in, and my courage failed me.

"Hello? Who's there?" Ahamo called. I heard him stand and approach the door. Oh what a time for my legs to turn to Jelly.

"Ambrose!" Ahamo grinned, throwing the door wide open. He shook both my hands and pulled me into the room. "Or are you still going by Glitch?"

"I uh actually prefer if you went back to calling me Nam." I managed a faint smile as I was steered over and deposited beside the queen on a low chaise lounge. She cooed and fussed with my hair the same way she had when she was small.

"To what do we owe the pleasure dear friend?"

For the first time in my centuries-long life, I felt old. "Your grace I fear this isn't a social call." I gulped and looked around. DG and Azka-d had been on a couch not far away, playing one of those string games. Ahout, or cats cradle as the othersiders call it.

Ahamo no doubt had been sitting beside the queen, the way they used to when they were first married and acting like lovesick teenagers. He plopped down on the old Ottoman. The place I normally knelt when more casual council took place among the three of us.

"I uh. I have something you should know, should have known for a very long time." I swallowed again to force down the lump of fear in the back of my throat.

"Nam?" The queen whispered softly, still stroking my hair in a soothing manner.

"I was- I am...I'm part of the reason for your destruction." I choked out in a long sigh that stole all the breath from my body. "If I had told you sooner... but I couldn't... you would have hated me. You still will hate me." I stood up and began pacing. From the corner of my eye I saw Azka-d and DG look at each other uncertainly, but neither one spoke. The only sound was the grandfather clock on the other side of the room.

"Well blast it man, out with it already!" Ahamo exclaimed.

"Well now that's part of it. The part the Queen already knows." I continued, turning to look into those lavender eyes I learned to trust so long ago. The queen smiled and nodded. "I asked her not to- Begged her not to tell you. Especially with what I had to ask of you both."

Ahamos eyes darted to my request and then back to me.

"I'm not a human. Not at all. In any sense."

"You're not... you look human enough to me." Ahamo blinked.

"Well I'm not. There is no name for my race. Since humans are the only ones who run around naming things and they could never tag us as different from them. We are similar you see. I could spot one of my race in a crowd of humans but you could look at a crowd of us and think it was just that. A crowd." My mouth twitched lightly at the thought. Humans took so much for granted.

"We nearly always have long fingers and brown eyes. I've seen a few with hazel but they were part human. Their lifespan are shorter than a full blood of my race but they still out live their human counterparts for centuries... we don't grow old. And we are ...very hard to kill."

Ahamo and Azka-d looked somewhat flabbergasted. The queen looked almost amused and DG in her unassuming way was taking everything that was going on in her own stride.

"But this part not even you know Majesty. And I beg forgiveness. I was ashamed and I loved you all so much I couldn't bear to lose you."

"Wait, wait, wait, back up. Ambrose? "Ahamo looked at me in disbelief." How old are you exactly?"

The queen smiled softly at her husband and kissed his cheek.

"Ancient." I replied. "Centuries older than you could even count. But I would like to get back to the business at hand."

Now that I was here, I might as well get it over with.

"Ambrose darling? What ever is it dear friend?" The queen glided over to me and took my hands. I couldn't meet her eyes.

"It's about where I come from. Who I come from. My mother."

The queen nodded and I cursed her sweet understanding nature. "You never talk about her. But you mentioned once she lives in finaqua. Do you wish to visit her?"

"No I- she's dead." I replied shortly. "DG and Azka-d killed her.

DG stood up, eyes wide and horrified. "What? No! Glitch, I'm sorry I - how?"

I buried my face in my hands. My voice was barely audible but in that breathless stillness, every syllable was as loud as though I had shouted.

"My mother was the witch of darkness." I gulped and looked to the queen imploringly. "Your grace I swear to you... I never told you before because I wanted to protect you."

The queens' lavender eyes looked lost for just a moment. Then she blinked and she was the same girl I watched grow up. The same strong feisty princess I had protected for so long. "This is a very serious matter. It will need to be discussed in council."

I gulped. As the queens head advisor I would normally be part of this discussion. But on the other hand, since it was a discussion about me, I was bound to be biased.

"Majesty I implore you please..."

"Return in one hour. We will then have an answer for you."

I stood with a bowed head. I took two steps toward the door when I felt an arm wrap around mine. I looked over to see a brown leather jacket sleeve.

DG stared fiercely at her parents. "I already have the answer! Glitch helped me when no one else would. He stood by me through everything. Glitch... Ambrose- he he..."

"Thank you DG. But your mothers right. Its not as clear cut as that. But Majesty take this into account. I knew the witch best. Her strength and her flaws. I know how to best erase her memory from the realms forever."

The queen gave an elegant sweep of her hand. "One hour Ambrose." I kissed Dgs forehead and left. With nothing else to do, I sought out Raw Cain and Tutor, all of whom lived in the palace now, along with Jeb and Dgs robotic parents.

"Cain. Can you come with me? I have something I need you Raw and Toto to know and I think it's easier if I tell all of you at once." I asked at the door. Cain was polishing his gun so there was no way I was going in there. "And uh... can you leave that here?"

It didn't take long to gather up the others and took even shorter to explain it all. I thought for sure Cain was going to strangle me with his bare hands. But he just sighed and collapsed into the seat between Raw and Jeb.

"You never told me this" Tutor was the first to speak. "And we 'we've known each other for annuals."

"I never told anyone. I spent most of my life trying to forget it myself. Do you know how long 'most of my life' is?"

"I'm kinda scared to guess. So even the queen didn't know?" Cain looked at me sharply "How's the kid taking this?"

"DG? She's taking it like she takes everything." I shrugged. "She goes with the flow. I always admired that about her. Her great great grandmother was the same way at her age." I smiled, remembering.

"Uh right. So what happens now?"

I shrugged. "They're holding a private consul. Either they'll have me banished or executed. I deserve both."

"Glitch good man. Tough choice, did best." Raw purred. " King know. Queen fair."

"Oh good so I'll just be banished then." I replied somewhat sarcastically. Raw growled.

"You know I never thought I'd have to say this to you Glitch," Cain churned out. "But cheer up. Look, the queens known you for all her Life. Dg s starting to remember you better and she has all kinds of fun stories about 'Uncle Ambrose.' Ahamo looks to you as a brother. And I've seen you with Az. 2 peas in a pod. What are you worried about?"

"Yes well that was before they knew who I really was. Who I am."

"Backwards." Raw replied. "Queen know. Ambrose forget."

"I have an IQ of 987 and an eidic memory. I don't forget." I replied sourly. Which is true enough. With all my marbles in my noggin, I remember everything.

Unfortunately.

"Ok Headcase, try to get this through that thick skull of yours and into that genius Brain. You're not alone. "You have us and DG. She didn't ditch you in the fields of the Pahpay she won't ditch you now. "

"Well that was before. I mean sure I was useless but she didn't know my Mother was the one who took Azka-d Captive… I don't know how she knew..." I stopped as a maid came in and gave me a polite but puzzled expression.

"Lord Ambrose? The queen desires and audience."

I swallowed and headed into the throne room. I caught a glimpse of Ahamo the Queen and Azka-d sitting majestically on the throne before my vision was obscured by raven black hair and my arms were full of DG. I returned the hug and looked up at the queen and her consort. Ahamo tried to look imposing and regal, but he had a small grin threatening to take over his face. The queens' eyes danced with laughter.

"Ambrose. DG was afraid you were going to try to make a break for it while we were still in consul."

I looked at the princess in shock before turning to the queen. "Never. Majesty I have served the house of Gale for over a century and I would never leave my post as long as I'm allowed to remain."

"That's very good to hear, Lord Ambrose," The queen smiled mischievously, the same cheeky grin when she snuck out of her nursery and drove the nurses frantic in search of her. "Because we plan to keep you on for a very long time."

I sat. Quite suddenly. I couldn't believe my ears. DG came back and hugged my head.

It was the first time I felt safe and whole since I remembered the witch in the cave and who she had been.

"You can not help who your parents are, Ambrose. And you have done everything in your power to protect the O.Z." The queen smiled as Dg fussed with my hair.

Like mother like daughter.

"And you gave up so much. Sacrificed your own happiness." The queen continued. "You gave up your brain, your post, your freedom, your family..."

"Ambrose... I think its time. "Ahamo said quietly.

No, no.

"I beg your majesty please. She isn't ready... She's accepted this life as her own." I knelt before the queen. She raised me to my feet and kissed my hands.

"Its time she knew." She answered sadly and I realized this was harder for her than for me. "You deserve to have your family back."

Ahamo stood and embraced Azka-d. "Listen Az you know the queen and I love you like a daughter. And we never stopped loving you."

"Daddy?" Azka-d whispered uncertainly. I stepped forward but the queen caught my arm.

"No." She answered Az before any one else could. "We are not your parents. Ambrose and his wife Leona are."

"My sister isn't my sister?" DG asked in slight shock. "And Glitch is married?"

"Yes DG, Ambrose is married. Ever since my mother was a baby."

"We got married just after she learned to walk. But the twins weren't born until much later. I believe it was a few days after you were married." I smiled to the Queen and Ahamo, sure, they remembered Leona going into labor just after the queen finished saying 'I do'.

"Yes I recall. She was my maid of honor. We couldn't throw the bouquet until she had given birth."

"T-twins?" Azka-d had finally found her voice. "It was a boy wasn't it? I remember a little boy who looked like me. And whenever I was sad, he would ask where was my Azzy dazzle smile. But I thought I had made him up."

"That was Emrys " I nodded. "He's your brother."

I looked from Azkadelia to DG worriedly. She had that troublemaker grin on her face.

"A brother hunh? Is he cute? Do you think he'd want to go out sometime? Hey Az think you could hook me up?"

Azka-d laughed. "I just found out I have another family out there and all you can think about is if you can get a date?"

"Yeah, well I lived in an alternate dimension for 15 years with a pair of robots. I think you can adjust."

The queen gave a small laugh and gathered Azka-d into her arms.

"They're still your family Az. They always were." I said, sitting down beside her. I grinned when DG snuggled into me. Ever affectionate. "I knew you would never be safe with the witch around and I was so afraid she would trace you and your brother through me. Lee was able to smuggle Emy into the north and away from the witch. It was dangerous with just the two of them. I couldn't follow. So you stayed here with me and we passed you off as the queens' daughter. You're not mad at me are you sweetie?"

Azka-d grinned, reaching around me and the Queen to poke her 'sister'. "You know what this means don't you?" she teased. "You have to be queen!"

DG Stuck her tongue out at her 'sister'. "Not fair! You're only getting off on a minor technicality! And I was one week away too." She sighed and handed over eight platinums.

I smiled to the queen whose eyes were laughing again. "We'll saddle a horse for you first thing tomorrow so you can find your wife and son."

"I thank you majesty"

Despite the long journey I would be taking on the morrow, sleep was scarce that night. The queen, my queen finally knew who I was. Who I had come from. I stood on the balcony watching the stars and listening to the wind rush through the leaves. A light came on in the tower across from me.

So I wasn't the only one up so late.

Even as Glitch, I could have made that trek in the dark. Backward and with my eyes closed. The tower was the Queens favorite hiding place. Even when she was small. She would smuggle her favorite books in there, and her favorite toys, the ones I invented for her. She had confided only to me its whereabouts (Since I was the one who showed it to her.) and that was where she went now.

I pulled the candelabra that revealed the hidden staircase and crept up. The queen stood looking out at the stars with her ermine robe- her favorite- draped across her shoulders.

"I could never hide from you for very long Ambrose." She sighed without looking at me.

I walked up and stood besides her surveying the stars. "You're troubled. I can always tell."

"I'm conflicted." She sighed. "My daughters were ripped from me my home. My kingdom disheveled and my husband banished to the seedy realm. Every ones rebuilding scouring the OZ with any trace of her and now of all times. I learn my most trusted friend is a direct descendant."

I bit my lip trying not to cry. "You hate me Majesty?"

"No. But I want to. It sounds terrible. But I want to hate you, because you're related to that awful creature that possessed my Azkadelia. You never told me or my mother or her mother. I want to yell and scream and I want to want to banish you to the far corners of the realms and never see your face again because of what she did."

The queen finished with a sob and buried her head in my shoulder and cried.

I held her close and let her sob on my shoulder. She stopped crying after only 20 minutes. She had never cried much. Ever the brave royal. But then I dropped a pretty big revelation on her that day.

"But whenever I feel that anger bubble up I remember everything you've done. Everything you gave up." She sniffed apologetically. "And I remember how fiercely DG defended you. The door barely shut when she turned and listed dozens of reasons why you should never be allowed out of our sight. And how much help you had been."

"I really wasn't majesty." I shrugged modestly. "It was Raw and Cain that helped the Princess. I couldn't even find the Brick route."

"Well Dg says you helped her. And I have no doubt you did everything you could for her. However small it was she's greatly appreciative."

I nodded "That is gracious majesty. But if I had just told you- "

"It would change nothing Ambrose. You know that as well as I. She would have found a way out eventually. " She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "I've thought it over a dozen different ways. There's nothing we could have done. But there are things we can do. You told me when I was little, we can t change what was."

I nodded remembering. "Everything that's happened is set in stone. But the future is still in clay."

The queen smiled "And we can make tomorrow brighter... but not without a proper nights sleep."

I laughed. It was the first time in ages I felt happy. "Yes well you did have a habit of sneaking out past bed time."

But I knew she was right, I had a long journey ahead of me.

Finding Leona turned out to be much easier than expected. I was so pleased to see her. And Emrys too, though he went by Romulus then. Both were saddled and ready within an hour and we set back out for the northern island. We arrived just before sunset to find a large welcoming party waiting outside.

First, the royal family, The queen Ahamo and DG were standing with Azka-d. Beside DG, Cain and Raw were smiling. Kalm hid a little behind Raw, but Jeb stood shoulder to shoulder with his dad. Tutor was on the other side of the queen, looking for all the world like a faithful son.

Azkadelia smiled and ran forward when she saw us, plowing into Emrys for a hug.

Emrys smiled and patted her head. "Natsu vahn na ming?"

Az ka -d grinned and nodded. "Safu nor vahn tor koe ."

Dg looked at me questioningly.

"It's a secret language they made up as kids." I shrugged.

Dg nodded. "Come on. Lets introduce everybody."

I smiled as the queen welcomed Leona back enthusiastically and Emrys walked off arm in Arm with Azka-d while Jeb and DG followed. All four were talking a mile a minute.

The witch would have hated that.

I came out of my revive when Ahamo slapped me on the back. Cain stood beside him grinning ear to ear.

"Az is starting to remember her life before us. She's adjusting well." Ahamo grinned. "You're still worried about her."

"So are you." I pointed out. "Its natural though. Fathers worry."

"You should talk to her. One on one. And soon." Cain said. "I had a heart to heart with Jeb when he found us. And Ahamo had one with DG."

I nodded. I knew She had to be full of questions. Leona and Emrys could only answer so many.

My chance came sooner than expected. A welcome home ball was thrown barely a week after. Ozian socialites will find any reason to throw a party, and this was one time the royal family was happy to oblige.

DG and Emrys danced for hours talking and laughing With Azka-d flitting in and out of the conversation. I watched her carefully until she headed out to the balcony. I followed.

"Azka-d?"

She looked up and gave me a confused smile. "Romulus and Le- mother- call me that too. Is it my real name?"

I nodded. "It is. Azkadelia was DGs grandmother. So the queen called you that after her."

"The queen. Who I've called Mother. And Ahamo. I called him dad so long it seems...terrible to call anyone else..." Azkadelia sighed. "I don't know anymore Nam. I don't know who anyone is anymore. My mothers not my mother my real mothers a stranger. I was practically raised by the witch. I'm so confused."

I patted her back. "I am sorry. I was trying to protect you. I don't blame you if you hate me."

"I don't hate you Ambro- I mean da-"

"You don't have to call me dad."

"I want to. But at the same time, I don't. Ahamo was my dad before I kil- before- " Azka-d sighed and looked to me in confusion. "I just don't know anymore Da." She sniffed.

"This really doesn't change who you are.. no listen" I sighed as she tried to pull away. "Something I learned on the road while I was helping DG find the emerald. Family is who you find. Family is who accepts you. Who loves you for who you are."

Azka-d lifted her head and smiled. "Rom said something like that too. I don't think its a sentiment the witch would have liked."

"No it isn't" I agreed. "But I think that's why I like it so much."

Azka-d d smiled and hugged me. "Thanks Da."

"So I'm Da now?"

"Yes. You're Da and Ahamo is Daddy. DG s idea. Since she still calls her robot parents Mom and Popsicle."

"And you Azka-d?"

"I'm happy." She shrugged. "Happier than I've been in ages and ages. Sometime I still feel like I'm fighting the witch. We go to the northern island and we see the fields of Pahpay, still healing. Or we travel to Central city and meet tin men who were punished. "

"We are still fighting the witch. " I nodded "Her memory lives on in what she's done. But in time, we can erase her memory. We already are."

"Did she- Was that why she took me?" Azka-d asked in a small voice. "Because we're related? I'm her granddaughter she grabbed me because..."

I shook my head and pulled her into another hug. "No. She didn't know about you. She was trying to get DG. She grabbed you for continence." I told her emphatically. "It has nothing to do with you. Or anything you did or didn't do. She saw a means to an end."

Azka-d sighed and leaned fully against me. "That's a relief. All those terrible things she whispered weren't true."

"No" I sighed, Hugging my daughter. "None of it was true. She used to whisper the same things to me. Tried to get me to seize power."

"But you didn't. You never tried to take the throne."

"I didn't want to." I shrugged. She had plenty of reasons. How I was mistreated and how it was an insult to have to bow to a slipper from the other side... There were times when she seemed right. But in the end, I would hear the laughter of children. Or I would see farmers greeting one another as they passed. Men on their way to see the mystic man. And I knew the queen was doing the best job she could at keeping them safe and happy. "

Azka-d grinned and peeked at her former sister. "DG will make a good queen. I'm glad the throne is going to her. I never wanted it. Not really."

I nodded, then caught Dg and Emrys looking at us. "Go on, back to the party, kiddo. Have fun." I stroked her hair softly. "Em and Deege are looking for you."

"Thanks Da. But Um... he just goes by Romulus now."

"Rom then. They still want to see you." I laughed and shooed her off. I watched Jeb join the group and headed back toward the dais. Ahamo and the queen were sitting with a laughing Leona. Ahamo caught my eye and waved me over. I smiled and made my way through the crowds over to my friends.

My family.

I'm never going to keep secrets from them again.

Hobbits notes: If anyone is wondering about the secret language Emrys asked Azka-d "Did you miss me?"

Azka-d- D answered "As much as you missed me."


End file.
